Shikhar Dhawan retires: From Mohali hurricane to India's ICC hero, Gabbar's greatest knocks
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Shikhar Dhawan's India debut in 2010 wasn't exactly a fairytale. And neither is his retirement in 2024. But what he did in these 14 years is indeed one. From starting his India career with a duck, to finally walking into the sunset as one of the country's most prolific white-ball batters, Dhawan carved a legacy of his own. Part of India's batting trinity alongside Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Dhawan's contributions has recently gotten lost amid the 'Ro-Ko' mania. That too only because he last played for India almost two years ago. But as long as Dhawan remained a pillar of India's batting, he was one of their mainstays, doing some incredible things.
As Dhawan's India career comes to an end, we look at his decorated career, and more importantly, some of his knocks that establish the legend of Shikhar 'The-One'.
187 vs Australia, Mohali 2013
As many as 17 Indian batters have scored a century on Test debut, but Dhawan's achievement warrants a place of its own. Coming in for Virender Sehwag, Dhawan's dream could have well turned into a nightmare. Running in to bowl the first ball of the innings, the ball slipped out of Mitchell Starc's hand and hit the stumps at the non-striker's end, with Dhawan outside his crease. He could have been run out for a duck… without facing a ball. But no one from the Australian camp appealed. What transpired from there was an utter show of decimation by a 27-year-old of one of the greatest Test teams of all time.
Dhawan blasted the fastest century on Test debut – off 85 balls as he took the skin off the Australian bowling attack. With Australia putting a strong 408 in the first innings, India's reply was spearheaded by Dhawan in a breathtaking knock of the ages. He showed no mercy to Moises Henriques and the spin duo of Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty, taking 18 each of one of their overs. His cover drives were like bullets being fired out of a gun, but Dhawan was equally impressive with his reverse sweeps. 33 fours and 2 sixes later, his stunning assault ended 13 short of a double century but not before Dhawan had left behind a slew of records in his path of destruction.
114 vs South Africa, Cardiff 2013
June 6, 2013 was the start of something special. It was the first time Dhawan and Rohit opened the innings for India and took baby-steps towards becoming one of the most-feared opening pairs in ODIs. Dhawan, playing his first ODI in three years, began batting in Cardiff as if it was Mohali - in scintillating form. With cardigans on, Dhawan warmed up the Champions Trophy opener with his maiden ODI ton. He and Rohit added 127 runs for the opening wicket - the first of their 18 hundred-plus partnerships.
Enjoying more than just a slice of luck, Dhawan was aided by a lot of misfield and a missed stumping by AB de Villiers. And boy did he make it count. Dhawan was going at a decent pace, 53 off 49 when Rohit's dismissal almost lit a fuse in Dhawan. He switched gears and how, dispatching Lonwabo Tsotsobe for a four followed by a disdainful six. Dhawan ultimately perished after lighting up his second ODI debut of sorts, as a new-look India got home by 26 runs.
98 vs New Zealand, Wellington 2014
Dhawan may have missed out on a century by two runs, but his clutch innings was as crucial as a hundred. After New Zealand were bowled out for 192 with Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami wreaking havoc, India were in danger of enduring a similar collapse had it not been for Dhawan leading the charge. They found themselves losing 3 wickets for 24 runs on the first hour on Day 2 but Dhawan held the innings together.
He scored at a rather brisk pace – at a strike-rate of 77 with 14 fours and a six. That's 62 runs scored in boundaries alone. Dhawan's flamboyance set the stage for Ajinkya Rahane's classy century and MS Dhoni's counter-attacking fifty that saved India the blushes despite New Zealand pummelling 680 in the second innings, featuring Brendon McCullum's triple century.
137 vs South Africa, Melbourne 2015
Prior to the 2015 World Cup, Dhawan had been in Australia for three months with a best of 81 in Brisbane. The ODIs were a forgetful affair, his scores reading 2, 1, 8 and 38 to combine for a woeful 49 runs from four innings. But the moment the big ICC event arrived, Dhawan switched his beast mode on. With Rohit gone early, Dhawan and Kohli did what they do best. Get the partnership going, and once set, attack. Dhawan added 127 runs – 53 off which were creamed in 7 overs – with Kohli and took the aggressor's role.
He was on 53 when South Africa got the opportunity to remove him, but once Hashim Amla dropped the catch, carnage ensued. Dhawan carted 16 fours and two sixes and put on another century stand with Rahane. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel – no one was spared. Dhawan scored his first World Cup century, which was then a personal best. The guy was a menace for oppositions in ICC tournaments.
190 vs Sri Lanka, Galle 2017
After Australia, if there is any team Dhawan gave nightmares to, it was Sri Lanka, and the series opener at Galle in 2017 was one of the many instances. Dhawan toyed with the Sri Lankan bowling attack in the post-lunch session, scoring a brilliant 190 off just 168 balls on Day 1. Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara forged a massive 253-run partnership out of which Pujara's contribution was 74. Returning to the Indian team for the first time since October 2016, Dhawan announced his comeback with an attacking century, reaching the milestone in 110 balls with 16 boundaries. Starting at 64 before lunch, he shifted into overdrive after the break, particularly in the 33rd over, where he struck three consecutive fours off Dilruwan Perera and then cut Nuwan Pradeep to the point boundary to swiftly move from 82 to 100.
Dhawan made the most of an early reprieve when he was dropped on 31, which turned out to be the only blemish in his otherwise flawless innings. The Galle International Stadium has been a favourable ground for Dhawan, where he had previously scored a century in 2015. He began confidently, easing the first ball of the match for a single and never looked back. Dhawan was handed another life when he was on 59 in the 14th over, courtesy of a wayward Lahiru Kumara, who had already conceded two easy boundaries and was warned for a beamer. Unfortunately, Dhawan fell short of his maiden double century, being dismissed by Nuwan Pradeep, but not before putting India in a commanding position.
117 vs Australia, Oval 2019
For the longest time, the sight of Anil Kumble bowling with a bandaged face against West Indies stood out as arguably the most heroic image in the folklore of Indian cricket, but in the 2019 World Cup, Dhawan produced something similar. India started their campaign against defending champions Australia, with Dhawan once again showing why he was their man for ICC tournaments. Dhawan played a once-in-a-lifetime innings of 117, out of which 92 runs were scored with a fractured thumb. Yes. Dhawan was on 25 when a 150 kmph scorcher rattled his thumb. But after a few painkillers, Dhawan's pain was overshadowed by his adrenaline rush.
The Indian batters feasted on Australia, with Rohit and Kohli chipping in with half-centuries. In the first seven overs, India scored at just 3.14 per over before Dhawan smashed open the floodgates. Cummins' rising delivery struck Dhawan's thumb, a blow that clearly affected him throughout the course of his innings as he repeatedly lifted his hands off the bat after each shot. But all said and done, Dhawan battled it all en route to completing his sixth century for India in ICC matches, next only to Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
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